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The Spellbook · Protection

The Spellbook · Islam

Ayat al-Kursi at Bedtime and the Guardian from God

How Muslims recite the Throne Verse (Ayat al-Kursi) and the last three surahs before sleep for protection: the hadith behind it and the guardian angels.

  • TraditionSunni and Shi'i devotional practice; hadith of Abu Hurayra in Sahih al-Bukhari (9th century); Qur'anic teaching on guardian angels
  • ForProtection, Peace
  • DifficultySimple
  • Time5–10 minutes before sleep
  • WhenEvery night on going to bed

Before sleeping, many Muslims recite Ayat al-Kursi, the Throne Verse of the Qur'an (2:255), and the three short protective surahs, then blow lightly into their cupped hands and wipe them over the body. The practice rests on reports in the most respected hadith collection, Sahih al-Bukhari, one of which promises that whoever recites the Throne Verse at bedtime will have "a guardian from God" with them until morning. Muslims understand such protection in terms of God's care and the angels He appoints over human beings, and approach it as worship, not as a charm.

How to do it§

  1. Make ablution. It is recommended (sunna) to go to bed in a state of wudu', as for prayer.
  2. Lie down on the right side. Prophetic practice was to lie on the right side, with the right hand beneath the cheek.
  3. Recite Ayat al-Kursi. Recite Qur'an 2:255, which begins "God: there is no god but He, the Living, the Ever-Sustaining. Neither drowsiness nor sleep overtakes Him", and goes on to describe God's knowledge and His "throne" (kursi) extending over the heavens and earth, "and guarding them does not weary Him".
  4. Recite the three Quls. Cup the hands together, recite Surat al-Ikhlas (112), Surat al-Falaq (113) and Surat al-Nas (114), the last two seeking refuge in God from the evil of what He created, of darkness, of envy and of the whisperer. Blow lightly into the hands and wipe them over as much of the body as you can reach, starting with the head, face and front. This is done three times.
  5. Say a bedtime supplication. A widely used one, from the hadith collections, is Bismika Allahumma amutu wa ahya, "In Your name, O God, I die and I live", sleep being understood as a lesser death.
  6. Sleep in peace. On waking, the corresponding supplication thanks God "who gave us life after He had caused us to die, and to Him is the resurrection".

Origins and history§

Ayat al-Kursi is the most celebrated single verse of the Qur'an. A hadith in Sahih Muslim reports the Prophet asking a Companion which verse of the Qur'an was greatest, and approving his answer of the Throne Verse. Its majestic description of God's sovereignty, sleeplessness and all-encompassing knowledge made it a natural verse of protection, and it is inscribed in mosques, homes and on jewellery throughout the Muslim world.

The bedtime practice is based on a report in Sahih al-Bukhari. Abu Hurayra, set to guard the alms of Ramadan, caught a man stealing food on three nights; on the third, the man taught him that if he recited the Throne Verse when going to bed, a guardian (hafiz) from God would stay with him and no devil would come near him until morning. The Prophet told Abu Hurayra that the visitor had "told you the truth, though he is a liar", and identified him as a devil. A separate report from 'A'isha, also in al-Bukhari, describes the Prophet each night reciting the last three surahs into his cupped hands and wiping them over his body.

The guardian of the hadith is commonly understood as an angel. The Qur'an speaks of angels "in succession" (mu'aqqibat) before and behind each person, "guarding him by God's command" (13:11), and of noble recording angels (82:10–12). Classical commentators such as al-Tabari discussed these angels in detail, and belief in angels is one of the six articles of Islamic faith. Constance Padwick's Muslim Devotions (1961) documents how these verses and supplications fill the popular prayer manuals of the Islamic world.

Variations§

Many also recite the last two verses of Surat al-Baqara (2:285–286), which another hadith in al-Bukhari says will "suffice" whoever recites them at night. Parents recite the Quls over their children and wipe their hands over them. Some say the Throne Verse after each obligatory prayer as well.

Safety and good sense§

This is prayer and remembrance, with no physical hazards. Islamic teaching itself joins trust in God to sensible precautions: the Prophet advised closing doors and covering vessels at night. Fears at night, nightmares or sleeplessness that persist should also be discussed with a doctor.

Sources and further reading§